Bipolar Disorder Support Group

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Depakote and weight gain?

My care provider is wanting to put me on depakote and I have a history of eating disorders and am NOT willing to take anything that has weight gain problems associated. I am hopeing you guys could share some experiences in this department. I would be ok with say five pounds but much past that I am know myself well enough to know I will resort to old habits and that will defeat the purpose anyway right. What causes the weight gain anyway. Is it the chronic fatigue or does the stuff make you eat all the time???? Pleas help me understand.

I\'d hate to tell you negative things about a medication, BUT I didn\'t change my eating habits and was actually working out the same as I was before starting Depakote and put a ton of weight on. I had just started losing weight about 35lbs, and then after going on it, I gained all of it back plus 5 extra.

The kicker to it all, what I went to the doctor and flat out refused to take it anymore though was the hair loss. I started losing my hair. Come to find out, Depakote can cause a mineral depletion in the liver, I think it\'s like 3 of them. Once I started taking Centrum silver my hair started growing back, but it took nearly 5 months for me to start seeing a change.

I would definitely talk to my doctor if you have had an eating disorder in the past. It\'s one thing I\'m going through right now with my doc. First thing I ask now is if the meds they want to put me on are going to cause weight loss b/c if you have had a weight problem in the past you sure know that weight changes can really cause a change in mood too.

I\'d have to agree. I had a similar experience with Depakote, gaining almost 40 pounds in just a few months. It was depressing, to say the least. I hope your pdoc is willing to consider the weight issue, especially with your history. There are so many other choices out there, the pdoc should be able to find something you can both agree on.

Thanks for the input. I can\'t do 40 pounds...can you say depression. Well I already have depression so I think a major weight gain would just be too much. I have no intention of going on this stuff. I will talk to the dr. if I can ever get him and not his nurse/voice mail. Thank you again for taking the time to respond. I appreciate everyone\'s input.

Hi lostalot....I am exactly the same as you!!!
I have just been prescribed these and am vary wary, because I have heard you can gain weight...already been there!! Not going back!!
I have an eating disorder as well, so weight gain is not option.
He has only prescribed 200mg, so I may give it a go, and watch weight with caution!!!
Hope you are lucky...and make the right decision.

same for me, i gained a ton of weight, took me a long time and lot of effort to get it off, too. it also screwed up my thyroid, my cholesteral level, my triglyceride level, there was hair loss, and i was a zombie. this was a bad med for me. Everything returned to normal after i got off this med. Now I take Lithium for my mood stablizer and it works great, no side effects!

Oh, dear, DON'T go on Depakaote then...I, too, gained at least 30 lbs and was already overweight to begin with. Was even more irritable and told psychnurse to get me off it ASAP... Now am just on Lamictal for mood swings...
Hope it works out well for you.

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